Former Miss Universe Jamaica finalist Tyra Spaulding has passed away at the age of 26 after opening up about her struggles with mental health. According to Caribbean National Weekly, Spaulding’s body was discovered at her apartment by family members on Tuesday, suspended from her apartment curtains. Police are reportedly treating her death as a potential suicide.

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On Wednesday, the Miss Universe Jamaica organisation confirmed Spaulding’s passing through an Instagram post, which featured a statement alongside a photo of the former contestant. The post also included a clip of Spaulding smiling brightly while walking down a runway in a glittering yellow dress as the off-camera crowd erupted in applause. Supporters flooded the comments section with condolences for Spaulding’s loved ones and the organisation.

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In the weeks before her death, Spaulding had spoken openly about experiencing suicidal thoughts. “I’m fighting for my life over here,” she said in a September 4 YouTube video. “I feel like I need to go out and do something because my mind is trying to kill me. And if I do nothing, I am going to die, guys. Every day I get up, my mind tells me to go and jump off a building. It tells me to go and overdose on pills. It tells me to go and hang myself.”

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Explaining that she did not understand why she was having such thoughts, Spaulding went on to say: “I have no idea. They’re my own thoughts, but do I want to be having them? No,” she continued. “Do I want to die? I mean, it would be easier than having to deal with the ups and downs of life, but … I don’t know. All I know is, right now I am fighting for my life. Right now I’m just trying to do anything I can that will distract me, give me temporary motivation, I don’t know.”

Later in the video, she wondered “how many other people go through stuff like this.”

“And I can’t quite pinpoint … why am I thinking these things all of a sudden?” she asked. “It’s like there’s two different me’s. One of them wants me to live and one of them wants me to die. … It’s me against me over here.”
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In a separate video posted just seven days ago, she also said she believes that “God doesn’t exist here on earth in the way we think” and that “this world is truly truly evil”.

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If you or anyone you know is battling with mental health struggles or experiencing thoughts of self-harm and suicide, please reach out to mental health charities, including Mind, Samaritans and Rethink Mental Illness.

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